Over the River and Through the Woods
by AndAllThatMishigas
Summary: Jed gets some very good news, and he and Abbey go on a vacation all by themselves. Bartlet History 15.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: This story takes place about seven months after Where My Love Lies Waiting (on my author page). It was getting so long and involved that I've decided to make this one two chapters. The next part will come soon. Please review and enjoy!

 **Over the River and Through the Woods**

Abbey wandered around the kitchen, dragging the long coiled phone cord behind her. She waved the thick shiny card in her free hand as she gestured excitedly while she spoke. "Millie, I still can't believe it took you guys so long. Is medical school really so much that you couldn't take a few minutes a day to plan your wedding?"

"No, I really couldn't. Not as one of three women in my class, Abbey. We started with five. One dropped out because she got pregnant, and one dropped out because she got married. I couldn't lose my edge for even a minute. I'm surprised Dave stuck with me this long," she admitted.

"I'm just so happy for you, Dr. Griffith. Well, soon to be Dr. Millbanks," Abbey said with a grin.

"Actually, I'll be staying Dr. Griffith."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, Dave and I talked about it. I want to keep my professional name the way it says on my degree. So Mrs. Millbanks, but Dr. Griffith."

Abbey smiled. She couldn't help but feel proud of her best friend.

They spent the next half hour discussing all the plans for the wedding. Since her graduation, Millie had been doing nothing but wedding planning. There wasn't much for matron of honor Abbey to do until the week of the big day.

"Oh Abbey, hang on for a minute. Dave just got home."

Abbey waited while Millie put the phone down to talk to her fiancé. She eavesdropped the best she could.

"Hey there," she heard Dave say.

"What are you doing home, dear?" Abbey smiled. She hadn't seen Millie and Dave in so long, and they were even more sweet and perfect than they had been in college.

"Apparently the embargo with China was lifted, so we all got the afternoon off," Dave explained.

"And I find myself asking why?" Abbey put her hand over her mouth to keep from laughing at Millie's snarky retort.

"I work for the biggest marketing firm on the West Coast, Mill. The Chinese market is a huge game changer. The higher-ups needed to meet with key clients and figure out what we're going to do. So I'm home now. What are you up to?"

"I'm on the phone with Abbey. She just got the invitation."

There was a rustling on the line as Dave picked up the phone. "Hi, Abbey."

"Hey, Dave! How's the Stephens family doing?" she asked with a smirk.

Dave sighed loudly. "I hate Dick Sargent. He's…you know what? I can't even begin to explain how…" He continued stumbling over impassioned phrases to describe the casting change to his favorite show, Bewitched. Even in college, Dave had been obsessed with the show. It was one of the big reasons he wanted to go into advertising. Abbey loved making fun of him for it. Millie had hated his strange love of Samantha Stephens until Dave told her that Samantha reminded him of Millie. And apparently Endora reminded him of Abbey. Which she took as a compliment.

"I sent him in the other room. You can't tease him like that, Abb." Millie said, apparently having taken the phone from Dave.

Abbey just laughed loudly. "He's going to be your husband. And you tease Jed all the time."

"Well, that's true. Alright, listen I'd better calm my man down. I'll see you and Jed in two weeks, yeah?"

"Yep! We'll see you then."

"And I expect lots of pictures of your little Lizzie, since I know you won't be bringing her."

Abbey paused, not having thought that far through it.

"But I'm sure it'll be nice for you and Jed to have a whole week to yourselves, right?"

"Oh yes, of course," Abbey agreed, faking enthusiasm. "I'll let you go, Millie. See you soon." She hung up the phone and sat down at the large scrubbed wood kitchen table.

She stared off into space, thinking. What were they going to do with Liz? She had stayed in Massachusetts with Abbey's parents when they visited Kate in New York, but that had only been for two days. A week was very different. They had never been away from their daughter that long before. And if they told Elizabeth, she'd beg to stay in Exeter. She had developed a strange attachment to Jed's mother. Mary Bartlet was perfectly wonderful; everyone loved her, and for good reason. But Abbey did not want to admit, even to herself, that she didn't want to leave her daughter at the Bartlet house.

The front door opened with a loud creak and closed loudly. "Abbey?" Jed called.

"Kitchen," she yelled back.

He walked in, loosening his tie as he came over to her. "Hey there," he greeted, kissing the top of her head where she sat.

She looked up at him with an attempt at a smile. "How was your interview?" she asked. Best to wait to spring her concerns on him. Though she had no idea how she could possibly be honest with him about this topic.

Jed pulled out the chair beside hers and faced her. "Guess what?" He had a big smile on his face, and his bright blue eyes twinkled excitedly.

Abbey cocked her head to the side curiously. "What?" She couldn't help but smile at his expression.

"I got the job."

She jumped up. "You got the job!? Oh honey, this is wonderful!"

Jed stood and gave his wife a big hug. "Associate Professor in Economics at Dartmouth College!" As soon as the chancellor shook his hand, Jed had felt a weight lift from his shoulders. It had been almost six months since they'd moved back to America from London, and neither he nor Abbey had been able to get a job during that time. Abbey was busy with Liz and turning the Manchester farm into a permanent home for them, which was no small feat. But Jed had been applying to any and every school he could think of, traveling all around New England. Money wasn't tight yet, but they were starting to run on the fumes of his inheritance from his grandfather. He needed to get a job. And he couldn't be happier that it was at Dartmouth. The commute was going to be awful, but at least he could stay in New Hampshire.

Abbey squeezed him tight, beaming with delight. "I am just so proud of you, Professor!" she said, giving him a kiss.

Jed laughed. "Would you look at that? And here I was all excited that we'd get to both be Dr. Bartlet, but I guess I've got a title change."

"Well, for now we can make dinner reservations as Professor and Mrs. Bartlet. And in four years, we'll be Professor and Dr. Bartlet, and won't that throw people for a loop?" she replied.

He laughed once more and kissed her again. "Where's Elizabeth? I want to tell her that her daddy has a job!"

Abbey's happy expression faltered. "She's upstairs playing with Ladybug." They had gotten a kitten for Liz's birthday, and the three year old got to name their new little calico.

Jed rolled his eyes. He still thought that was a stupid name for a cat. Never mind that it was the New Hampshire state insect, it was a stupid name for a cat. But Liz loved her new friend, and she got along with Lucky well enough. Hopefully Ladybug would grow into a good mouser, because Lucky had proved useless in the barn.

When Jed went upstairs, Abbey immediately picked up the phone. But she paused before dialing. She thought for a moment and hung up again. No, it wouldn't be right to unilaterally decide to have Liz stay with Abbey's parents. Jed and Liz both deserved a say in where she stayed for a whole week. Nevertheless, it made Abbey extremely uncomfortable to contemplate discussing her problems with Jed. He didn't like talking about his parents, and even though she knew of his problems growing up in that house, she never voiced her opinions on the matter. How could she possibly say to her husband, the man she loved and respected more than anything in this world, that she didn't want their daughter to end up like him?

"You're right, kittens do look like aliens." Jed reentered the kitchen.

"See? They've got that weird fuzz and those big eyes and their paws don't look quite right. But I'm sure Ladybug will grow into a gorgeous feline," Abbey replied with a chuckle. She watched Jed get a glass out of the cupboard and fill it with water from the sink. Now was as good a time as any to start the conversation. "I talked to Millie today."

"You did? How's the bride doing?"

"She's wonderful. Keeping her maiden name for professional purposes."

"Dr. Millicent Griffith. Sounds good. I like it," Jed replied with a smile.

"Because I'm the matron of honor, we need to be there for a whole week. Two weeks from now."

He nodded. "Yeah, we discussed that. I don't start at Dartmouth officially until August, so the timing will be fine."

Abbey chewed on her lip momentarily before finally broaching the real subject. "What are we going to do with Liz?"

"She'll come with us, of course."

"No," Abbey sighed. "I'll be busy with Millie most of the time, and I think it would be good for us to have a little vacation to ourselves. Besides, she's three years old and she's only spent two nights away from us in her whole life. It's time."

Jed thought for a moment before responding. "If you think so, that's fine. We'll leave her with your parents again. Why don't you call and ask if they can watch her?"

Abbey's brow furrowed slightly. He sounded so sure of that decision. She did as he asked. "Hi, Mom…I'm doing well, how are you? … Oh that's good. And Dad? … Great. Listen, Millie is getting married, and Jed and I have to spend a whole week in California. Can you guys watch Liz the week of the twenty-fifth?" She smiled at Jed as she listened to her mother, and suddenly her face fell. "Oh…No, I should have remembered…Let me talk to Jed, and I'll let you know. Thanks, Mom…I love you too…bye." Abbey hung up and turned back to her husband. "That's the week of my dad's yearly conference in D.C. And since Dad is going to be gone, my mother is going to spend the week in New York with Kate. She offered to take Lizzie with her, but I wanted to know what you thought," Abbey explained.

Jed shrugged. "Well, you wanna ask Liz if she wants to go to New York with your mom? I know Kate would love to see her. She was kinda pissed we didn't bring her with us when we visited back in April."

"Yeah, let's ask Liz." But Abbey knew what Liz would say. She was only three, but she was a predictable little thing.

And sure enough, as soon as Jed asked her if she wanted to spend a week with Grandma Louise and Aunt Kate in New York, the first words out of her mouth were, "Can I go with Grandma Mary instead?"

Abbey sighed internally and picked up Ladybug to disguise the way she rolled her eyes.

Jed looked to his wife, but she was preoccupied with the cat. He turned back to Liz. "We'll see, sweet pea."

Abbey was quiet for the rest of the evening, busy keeping Elizabeth distracted from the possibility of spending a whole week with her beloved grandmother. Instead, she made sure the conversation focused on Jed and his new job.

He could see what she was doing. But for the time being, he was content to go on and on about his new job. "And now, Bartlet women, since we are now a Dartmouth family, I think we all need to know the basic facts about the college."

"Oh brother," Abbey complained under her breath.

Jed ignored her. "Dartmouth College was founded on December 13th, 1769. It was one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the Revolution. Abigail, can you name the other eight?"

She tried to be annoyed, but he was just so exuberantly joyful when he lectured, that she couldn't help but find his pompous quizzing to be endearing. He was going to make a wonderful professor. "Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Princeton, Penn, Brown…"

"All correct. There are two more. Neither of which are Ivy League schools."

Now she did sigh at him. "I don't know."

"Guess!"

"Jed, just tell me."

"William & Mary, and Rutgers. And only two of the nine still have their original names. Can you guess which?"

Abbey smiled. "Elizabeth, what do you think?"

The toddler hadn't been paying much attention. "Who are William and Mary? Is it Grandma Mary?" Her hazel eyes went wide. "Mommy, can I stay with Grandma Mary?"

"Lizzie, we'll see. Please don't ask again," Abbey told her sternly.

Jed moved the conversation back to its former topic. "The College of William & Mary is its original title. It was named after a king and queen of England. The other is Dartmouth. It was named Dartmouth College in 1769 and has retained its name for over two hundred years. It was founded by Eleazar Wheelock who wanted to create a charity school to educate the Indians, which is why the mascot for the Big Green is the Indian. Though, frankly, it does seem to be somewhat offensive to the Native American population nowadays, so I believe that will change relatively soon."

"Jed," Abbey interrupted, gesturing to Liz. She had folded her arms on the kitchen table and put her little head down to fall asleep.

He chuckled and stood up. "Alright, Lizzie, time for bed. Let's give you a quick bath."

Liz lifted her head up and looked at her father with a look of pure adoration. Abbey watched her husband pick up their daughter and carry her upstairs. She could hear his voice carry as he walked.

"Dartmouth is in Hanover, which is a long drive away. Longer than going to Grandma Louise and Grandpa Jim's house. But it's going to be great. Some incredible people have gone to Dartmouth. Nelson Rockefeller and Daniel Webster and Robert Frost and Dr. Seuss!"

"Red fish, blue fish?" Liz asked excitedly.

"One and the same."

Abbey laughed to herself as she cleaned the dishes from dinner. She let her mind focus on happy things. She knew she and Jed would have to talk once Liz was asleep.

After Jed made sure Elizabeth was bathed and had her teeth brushed and read her a story, Abbey came in to make sure she went to sleep. It was a ritual they started while Jed was in school to make sure that he would have quality time with his daughter every day, but Elizabeth never could fall asleep until Abbey sang to her.

Tonight, when Abbey came into her room, Liz had a question all ready for her mother. "Mommy, why can't I stay with Grandma Mary? Is it because Grandpa John doesn't like me?"

That took Abbey by surprise. "Why do you think he doesn't like you, baby doll?"

"He never wants to play with me. Grandma Mary lets me help her cook. And she draws pictures with me. And she reads me books. Grandpa John didn't like the picture I drew for him last time. He left it on the table instead of taking it with him like Daddy always does. And Grandpa Jim framed my picture I drawed for him at Christmas."

"Drew. You _drew_ a picture," Abbey corrected. "But I don't want you to think that Grandpa John doesn't like you, Lizzie. He and your daddy and Grandpa Jim are all very different kinds of men. It has nothing to do with you," she assured her.

"Okay."

"Did you ask your dad about this?"

The little girl shook her head. Abbey was amazed at her perceptiveness. Even little Lizzie knew better than to talk to Jed about his father.

Liz was quiet for a moment before asking, "Mommy, will you sing me the plane song?"

Abbey smiled. "Yes I will. Close your eyes, Lizzie. Time for sleep." She began to sing. "All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go. I'm standing here outside your door. I hate to wake you up to say goodbye…"

When Abbey came into their bedroom a few minutes later, Jed was waiting with two snifters of brandy. "Liz asleep?" he asked, handing her a glass.

"Yep." She touched her glass to his and took a sip. "Wow, I needed that."

They climbed on top of the bed and sat side by side, quietly enjoying their drinks.

Jed finally broke the silence. "So she still wants to go with my mom?"

"Not surprisingly. And I don't really want her first trip to New York to be without us. But I also don't love the idea of leaving her in Exeter for a week," she admitted, hoping he wouldn't ask her to explain further.

"I completely agree."

Abbey waited for him to say more on the subject, but he just quietly sipped his brandy. "What are we gonna do, Jed?"

He frowned and turned to her. "What was it like when you two were here last year? After the funeral?" he asked, referring to the three week separation they endured after his grandfather bequeathed the farm to them.

"I never left her alone with him," she responded, understanding now that they were on the same page.

Jed nodded and went quiet again, thinking. Abbey just watched him, finishing her drink in the process. He took the last bit of his brandy in one big gulp. "My father is not a bad man, Abbey," he insisted.

"I know." She looked at him in a way that she hoped would convey her support.

"He's very strict and expects a lot from people. But he is not a bad man."

Something inside Abbey's chest constricted as she listened to him defend the man who had broken him so irreparably. "I know," she said again.

He turned to face her. "It's just…when I was a kid…me more than Jonathan…my father is a believer in discipline," he tried to explain. Jed didn't know how to say the words. He'd never said it out loud, and he never wanted to.

Abbey put her hand on top of his. "I know, Jed," she said once more, this time more insistently.

"You do?"

She gave him a sad smile, but she could feel the tears prick at her eyes. "The first day I met him, he threw you against a wall."

Jed averted his gaze. "Yeah."

Abbey squeezed his hand and scooted closer to him. He took her in his arms and held her tight. He hadn't realized the weight he had been carrying, keeping his experience with his father to himself. But Abbey knew. He wasn't sure for how long, or how she found out, but he shouldn't be surprised. His wife was brilliant and very intuitive. He should have known that she'd figure it out. He wasn't going to go into detail, because he was sure it would upset her, and it would reflect poorly on his father. But she knew and she seemed to understand. He'd never had anyone like that in his life before. Someone who just knew. Someone who was always on his side. Well actually, he did have someone like that.

"Mrs. Landingham."

"Hmm?" Abbey shifted to look up at him.

"I'll call Mrs. Landingham and see if Liz can stay with her. While she's at the school, Liz can stay with my mother. And everyone is happy."

"How are you going to explain to your mother that Liz can stay there during the day, but not overnight? For a whole week?"

He frowned. "She'll know what to do," he replied, confident that his surrogate big sister would have the answer.

Abbey nuzzled against him. "Okay. I trust you."

Jed kissed her forehead and held her for a little while. They'd have to get ready for bed eventually, but he was content to hold her for a little while.


	2. Chapter 2

**Part 2**

"Hey honey, great news. I talked to Mrs. Landingham today. Apparently, my dad is scheduled to be at a conference in Boston the week of Millie and Dave's wedding. So Liz can live her little dream of spending a whole week with my mom. I still don't fully know why our child is so attached to my mother, but whatever." Jed sat down at the scrubbed wood table in their big farmhouse kitchen while his wife cooked dinner.

Abbey smiled. "Kids are weird. And since Liz is our kid, she's especially odd. But this is great. Solves all our problems." She tasted the sauce she was making and turned down the stove before coming to stand behind Jed's chair. She leaned down, draping her arms around his shoulders and murmured in his ear, "So this means we have a whole week without worrying about our daughter. Which means a whole week of you and me in a hotel room in California."

Jed grinned. "Oh yeah? And what do you imagine us doing in that hotel room?"

She replied, "Late nights and long mornings with the Do Not Disturb sign on the door." Abbey grazed her teeth over his earlobe and pressed a kiss to his neck.

He felt a shiver of excitement jolt down his spine. He turned his head to kiss her softly and slowly. "I'll go tell Liz," he whispered after they finally broke apart.

The time flew by and before they knew it, they had hugged little Elizabeth tightly and promised to call her every day and said goodbye. Knowing that they wouldn't see her for a whole week was a harder concept to grapple with than Jed had originally imagined. He thought that Abbey would have some trouble with it, as most mothers would. But she seemed just fine, singing along to the radio in the car like she always did.

"We need a vacation, Jed. Just us. It's been a rough couple of years," Abbey said, turning down the comfortable voice of Cousin Brucie on the radio.

He just nodded, reaching over to take her hand and give it a squeeze.

A few hours later, they arrived in San Francisco. Dave and Millie picked the Bartlets up from the airport. It was the first time since Jed and Abbey's wedding four years earlier that the four friends had all been together.

"Hey there, guys!" Millie greeted happily. She and Abbey hugged each other tightly.

"Millie, your hair is so long!" Abbey exclaimed, noticing her friend's long golden locks reaching to her waist.

"It's easy to deal with this way. I can pile it all up on my head in pins when I'm at the hospital," Millie replied. "You, on the other hand, have gotten a little hippy," she said in a low tone. "Everything okay?" She recalled Abbey's tendency to gain weight from stress eating.

"I've got a child. The pounds sit on my hips now. You'll find out soon enough," Abbey replied with a smirk.

Dave, meanwhile, was peppering Jed with questions about London. "Did you go to all the palaces? I've heard that the Tower of London has ravens that feed on bloody meat every day. Is that true? And what about those phone boxes? Are they really all bright red like they are in the postcards?"

Jed just laughed. "I'll tell you all about it later, Dave. I'm sure the girls have plenty of wedding stuff to do that we're not invited to. Take me to a San Francisco bar and we can smoke and drink for hours."

"David Millbanks, don't they make you cut your hair at that ad firm? I can't imagine they're pleased with a scruffy hippie designing commercials for Campbell's Soup," Abbey quipped to her old friend.

"There's the Endora we've missed so much," he replied acerbically. "And for the record, we don't represent Campbell's. We do, however, do quite a lot with Diamond Walnuts." But he grinned and hugged her. "It's good to see you, Abb. I hope you brought lots of pictures and stories of your little one. We get married next week, and then Millie and I are off to start work on one of our own."

"She's wonderful. Happy as a clam. Brilliant and gorgeous and the cutest little goofball you could ever imagine," Abbey gushed. She was going to make a teasing comment about Diamond Walnuts but decided against it. She was much happier talking about her daughter anyway.

"She named the new kitten 'Ladybug,'" Jed told them all with a slight grimace.

Millie laughed. "I'd expect nothing less from a child whose mother once named a cat 'Meniscus.'"

Dave drove them all in his new Oldsmobile Cutlass to the hotel in San Francisco where he and Millie would be getting married the following weekend. Jed had booked a room for the week for the sheer convenience of it. Along the way, he pointed out various landmarks. He'd grown up just outside the city. Going to college at Notre Dame with Millie, Jed, and Abbey had been the first and only time he'd left California.

He let the valet take care of his car at the St. Francis. Usually, he wouldn't waste his money, but it wouldn't be right to force the Bartlets to carry their luggage all the way from the public garage down the block.

"Here we are!" Dave announced. "Right in the heart of the city. You've got all of Union Square at your fingertips."

Jed went to the front desk to check in while Dave got them a table in the lounge. Millie took Abbey to the ballroom where the wedding would take place. The women gushed about how perfect the location was all through their cocktails. After a drink each, Jed and Abbey went up to their hotel room to freshen up. They would meet Dave and Millie later to go to dinner.

As soon as they walked in, Abbey flopped down onto the bed. She kicked her shoes off as Jed started unpacking their luggage. "What do you want to wear to dinner? I'll hang it up to get the wrinkles out," Jed offered.

"The red sweater and navy skirt," she replied. She arched her back and reached as far behind herself as she could, stretching like a contented cat.

Jed smiled, watching her for a moment before getting the clothes she had asked for. He loved the sweater she had chosen. He had given it to her for Christmas just before they got engaged. And even through pregnancy and all the insanity of their life in London, she still wore the sweater.

"What are you wearing tonight?" she asked.

"Probably my blue suit." Jed closed one of the dresser drawers and turned back to his wife. "Do you want to call Liz before it gets too late?"

Abbey sat up reluctantly. "What time is it?"

"Almost five."

She nodded, calculating the time difference between California and New Hampshire. "Yeah, let's call her now before she goes to bed."

Jed sat on the side of the bed to get the phone on the nightstand. As he spoke to the operator, Abbey sat up on her knees and crawled over to him, putting her arms around his shoulders and nuzzling into his neck. He tried his best not to get distracted. "Hi, Mom. How's Liz doing?"

Abbey put her head close to the phone so she could hear what Mary was saying.

"She's doing just fine, Jed. Today we worked in my garden together. Elizabeth says her favorite flower is the dahlia."

"Oh those red ones on the back fence?"

"Yes. We cut a few and I put them in a small vase for her to keep in her room."

"Her room?"

"She wanted to stay in your old room. She loves it. She spent all morning asking me about every single thing you left in there."

Jed felt a warm feeling in his chest. "I'll show her some stuff when we pick her up next week."

"She's right here. I'm sure you want to speak to her."

Abbey shifted to sit beside Jed and he held the phone out so she could hear better as Mary gave the phone to Elizabeth.

"Hello?"

"Hi Lizzie!" Abbey greeted brightly. She hadn't had any trouble saying goodbye to her daughter that morning. After all, they would see her soon enough, and she was in great hands. But hearing her tiny voice and knowing she was so far away created a feeling in Abbey that she had never known before. Like something was clawing at her insides.

Liz proceeded to tell her parents all about her day. She was having a wonderful time with Grandma Mary, cooking and gardening and drawing. She was especially excited to go to church and see Father Cavanaugh. She remembered him from the few times the Bartlets had visited Jed's childhood priest, the man who had performed their marriage ceremony.

The family conversation had to end when Elizabeth failed to stifle her yawning. "It's past your bedtime, sweet pea," Jed told her regretfully.

"But I want you to tuck me in, Daddy."

"Grandma Mary is going to tuck you in, baby doll," Abbey said, knowing how difficult it was for Jed to not be there when Liz wanted him.

Liz sighed melodramatically. "Okay."

"We'll call again tomorrow and you'll tell us all about your day again," Abbey assured her.

They all said their goodbyes and hung up the phone. Jed and Abbey sat quietly for a moment.

Abbey was the first to break the silence. "I really didn't expect this."

"What, missing her so much?"

"Yeah. I've always wanted to be a mother, and I love it. But I wasn't prepared for what it really is. The sleepless nights and the crying and the tantrums and the life lessons. That's all fine. Why doesn't anyone ever tell you what it feels like to be a parent? To have a whole part of yourself that belongs to this tiny person we made?"

Jed put his arm around her and pulled her close to his side. "You know, I think that's the part I was prepared for."

"Really?"

"I was so afraid that I wouldn't love her enough. That I wouldn't do it right. Because…well…"

"I know." Abbey didn't need him to finish that sentence. They still hadn't spoken directly about the effect John Bartlet had on Jed. Perhaps they never would.

"You're an incredible mother, Abigail."

She looked up at him curiously. He chose to use her full name in the strangest situations. Each time she thought she'd figured out his pattern, he threw her a curveball like this. It took a moment, but she decided not to comment on it. She simply replied, "And you're the greatest father there's ever been."

He chuckled softly and pressed a kiss to the side of her head. "We should get ready for dinner."

Dinner with Dave and Millie was a sheer delight. It had been far too long since the four of them had spent any time together. Dave and Jed talked about London and international affairs and Jed's economics work. Millie shared tales of med school with Abbey, and Abbey told everyone all about Elizabeth.

Over the following week, Jed and Abbey spent most of their time being tourists in San Francisco. They went to the zoo and the museum and Golden Gate Park and Chinatown and even saw a Giants game at Candlestick Park. They fit their plans around Millie's schedule for wedding planning. Abbey went with her for the dress fittings, the meetings with the florist and caterer, and she even hosted the bridal lunch two days before the wedding. They visited the small house Millie and Dave had been renting in San Carlos, a city about halfway between San Francisco, where Dave worked, and Stanford, where Millie had gone to school. They would be moving closer to the city when Millie started as an intern at the University of California at San Francisco Medical Center.

Before they knew it, the day of the wedding had arrived. Abbey spent all day with Millie. She was much calmer than Abbey had been for her wedding. Perhaps those four years of age and experience made a difference. Thanks to Millie's attention to detail, everything was planned to perfection. Abbey really didn't have much to do beyond crack jokes with Millie's cousin and Dave's sisters, who were serving as bridesmaids.

The ceremony was simple and beautiful, taking place in the church nearby. The entire time the priest read the vows, Abbey had her eyes fixed on her husband, sitting in the second row. This was the first wedding they had attended since their own. It brought back memories of that magical day, leaving them both rather emotional.

And in the blink of an eye, it was time for Abbey to make her toast as Matron of Honor. She stood up, careful not to catch the pale pink lace of her peasant-style dress on anything. Everyone's eyes were on her. She didn't like the attention. Not like this. But despite the bubbling feeling in her stomach, Abbey squared her shoulders and stood as tall as her five-foot-three height would allow. "Ladies and gentlemen, friends and family of Dave and Millie, I want to thank you on behalf of the bride and groom for being here today to share this happy occasion. Now, many of you don't know me. My name is Abbey Bartlet, and Millie and I were roommates all through our time at Notre Dame. And during that time, I met my husband, and Millie met hers. Jed and I are a bit more impulsive than these two, though, so we've been married for four years now. Dave and Millie are much smarter than we are. Much more focused and much more organized. But more than anything, I just want to tell you all how wonderful these two are as a couple.

"Dave is the kindest, most supportive man in the world. Not many men would wait four years to marry a woman who wanted to go to medical school instead of cook him dinner. But Dave has always wanted the best for those he cares about. Dave, from Endora to Darrin, I hope you know how happy I am that you're Mr. Millie Griffith, and how much I love you. And Millie…well, Millicent Griffith is my best friend in the whole world. Though everything that's happened to me in the last eight years, she's been right there with me. She's a shoulder to cry on and an ear to listen and a brilliant mind to give advice. Millie, I love you so much, and I am beyond happy to be here to celebrate your wedding.

"Now, I think it's tradition for the Matron of Honor to share an embarrassing story about the bride. Unfortunately, most of the embarrassing times with Millie and I were a result of my embarrassment. But there is one that I'll share. When we were juniors, Millie got it in her head that we should join a sorority. Now, I'm a member of the DAR, so I've had my fair share of sisterhoods and I wasn't looking for another one. But no, this beautiful blonde wanted more friends. Apparently I wasn't enough. So we went to the Delta Delta Delta house during rush week. And we were hazed. Miserably so. Lots of blindfolds and humiliating tactics in the dark and stupid things like that. I was fed up before we arrived, but I hung in there for Millie. And at the end of the night, the last task was to strip naked and stand there for ten minutes without moving. I refused, as did a few of the other girls. But Millie did it. And once she and the other three girls were completely nude, one of the sorority sisters jerked open the curtains to the delight of the dozen fraternity boys waiting outside the window. All the girls screamed and ran away. But not Millie. She turned and stood there with this daring look on her face, waiting for the boys to get tired of staring at her. Needless to say, I wasn't asked to join due to my generally poor attitude. But Millie wasn't chosen either. She was asked to leave because her brazen lack of modesty reflected poorly on Delta Delta Delta." The whole crowd was laughing delightedly at Abbey's anecdote.

Abbey raised her glass of champagne. "So from me to you, Mr. and Mrs. Millbanks, here's to many more years of unexpected adventures and joy and love and defiant individualism."

After all the speeches and congratulations, Dave and Millie had their first dance. Jed put his arm around Abbey and she put her head on his shoulder as they watched their dear friends sway lovingly to Dream a Little Dream of Me. Two songs later, after the father-daughter dance, the bandleader opened the floor to everyone and announced a special song just for the lovers. Millie looked right at the Bartlets and smiled brightly.

The band began to play the old Frank Sinatra song, More. Jed and Abbey started grinning at one another and stood up to dance to their own wedding song from four years earlier. Jed thanked Dave and Millie for giving them that moment. The whole party continued on a lively, happy note from then on. Everyone danced and ate and drank. Altogether a perfect wedding and a wonderful night.

Jed and Abbey went upstairs to their hotel room late that night, drunkenly stumbling through the halls. Jed was humming something Abbey couldn't quite place.

"What are you singing?" she asked, her voice much louder than was acceptable at the late hour.

"More than the greatest love the world has ever known," he sang.

She continued the phrase, "This is the love I give to you alone." Abbey laughed. "You're no Frank, but I do know that," she continued in song, "No one else could love you more!"

"I'm so glad I picked that song for us." He fumbled with the key to their room and opened the door.

Abbey was now humming where Jed had left off. "Honey, I'm gonna take a shower," she told him.

"Why?"

"So I can wash my hair," she replied with a glint in her eye. "You can join me if you want."

Jed eagerly agreed, taking his suit off faster than he thought he'd be able to in that state, and followed her into the bathroom.

"Calm down, babe. I don't want us to slip and fall. There is nothing sexy about a broken arm."

"On you, even a broken arm would be sexy," he quipped, turning the shower on nice and hot.

Abbey laughed, thinking to herself that she probably could pull that off. Though that really wasn't how she wanted to spend her last day on vacation. "Shut up and take me," she said. And he did just that.


End file.
